On What Does the Manas Rely to Generate Mental Application Toward Dharma?

The mental attention of the manas manifests in several ways: First, driven by habitual tendencies, it tends to focus on familiar dharmas that frequently appear, making attention readily arise. Second, the manas may engage in aimless attention, a result of scattered and clinging habits. Third, the manas easily directs attention towards dharmas it finds interesting. Fourth, it readily attends to dharmas that are significant or important. Fifth, attention arises due to the manas's craving for certain dharmas. Sixth, attention is generated because of afflictions like aversion. Seventh, the manas attends to dharmas it perceives as necessary. Eighth, it easily attends to dharmas that suddenly appear, and so on.

After the manas directs its attention, the mental factors (caitasika) of contact (sparśa), feeling (vedanā), perception (saṃjñā), and volition (cetanā) may not necessarily arise and function. Perhaps volition does not arise, meaning the manas has not decided on any action. Perhaps perception does not arise, indicating the manas does not grasp the object of attention. Perhaps feeling does not arise, showing the manas has no desire to experience and lacks interest in the object. In the initial stage, if the preceding mental factor does not manifest, the subsequent one has no reason to appear.

From which characteristic of the manas is it easier to identify the manas?

Question: In daily life, one can find and experience the manas. For instance, when the skin itches, one feels hungry, thirsty, hot, or has a strong urge to do something, knowing that the final decision rests with the manas. At such times, the consciousness (manovijñāna) deliberately refrains from acting, forcing a delay. During this period, one observes what the manas is doing or thinking. After all, the manas still holds the volitional decision of whether to act or not. This is searching for the traces, the source, or the origin of the manas. If practiced over time, can one thereby realize the manas?

Answer: The manas makes decisions instantaneously; it exerts control. The manas decides to scratch an itch, decides to eat, decides to drink, decides to get some air, decides to undertake a task. Whenever any action is performed, it is because the manas decided and commanded it. Here, the manas can be found. If consciousness deliberately disobeys the manas's instruction, observing the manas's reaction reveals its mental activities and habitual tendencies. When consciousness disobeys the manas's instruction, there is simultaneously an instruction from the manas to temporarily refrain from that action. This is because consciousness can never be the master; what is done and what is not done are solely determined by the manas. Even consciousness's act of disobeying the manas is equally decided and determined by the manas.

From this, it can also be seen that the manas sometimes complies with consciousness's decisions; it is not entirely self-willed, nor does it operate with complete autocracy or an autocratic, militaristic ruling mentality. The manas seeks to control and decide on every single event, moment by moment. It is from this characteristic that one can find the traces of the manas and thereby realize it.